(LANKAPUVATH | COLOMBO) – The Sri Lanka Electricity (Amendment) Bill to Amend the Sri Lanka Electricity Act No. 20 of 2009 was passed without amendments by a majority vote in Parliament yesterday(09).
Following the debate on the second reading of the Bill, the Opposition called for a division and the bill received 120 votes in favor and 36 votes were cast against it while 13 MPs abstained.
Accordingly, the second reading was passed by a majority of 84 votes.
Subsequently, during the committee stage, the Opposition objected to the amendment brought by the Minister of Energy to Article 4 and the ruling party had to withdraw the amendment.
Accordingly, Dr. Harsha de Silva, Member of Parliament on behalf of the Opposition moved an amendment to Article 4, which was rejected by the Minister of Energy and the Opposition requested a vote.
The Opposition’s amendment was rejected by a majority of 64 votes. 51 votes were cast in favor and 115 votes were cast in opposition.
The Opposition then called for a full vote on Article 4, which was passed by a majority of 70 votes with 116 in favor and 46 against.
Accordingly, the Sri Lanka Electricity (Amendment) Bill was passed by a majority in Parliament yesterday.
The Bill, introduced in Parliament on May 17, 2022 by the Minister of Power and Energy, will allow any person to apply for the issue of a generation license to generate electricity.
The Bill will take away the restriction imposed on a person to be eligible to apply for the issue of a generation license to generate electricity over and above the generation capacity of 25 Mega Watts, and also allow any person to apply for the same without any demarcation on the generation capacity.
In addition, orders made by the Minister of Energy in the Petroleum Resources Act No. 21 of 2021 were approved by Parliament today.
These orders were published in the Gazette Notification No. 2249/32 dated 15.10.2021.
These Orders are referred to as Petroleum Resources No. 1 of 2021 (Minimum Eligibility Orders of the Appointed Members and the Director General).
Accordingly, the minimum qualifications of a member appointed to the Board of Directors under the Petroleum Resources Act No. 21 of 2021 and the minimum qualifications and experience of the Director General of the Sri Lanka Petroleum Development Authority are stated in these orders.
The gazette notification related to these orders can be found at http://documents.gov.lk/files/egz/2021/10/2249-32_E.pdf.
